Endocrine therapy for breast cancer: an overview

Endocrine therapy for breast cancer has been established in the adjuvant treatment for primary disease and in the treatment of advanced disease. The ER remains the best predictor of response although other factors exist and need to be identified. Pharmacological manipulation has been replacing ablative procedures. Tamoxifen used to be the most popular agent of choice and promising new agents include the pure anti-oestrogens and the third generation selective aromatase inhibitors. Ongoing and future studies will optimise treatment in established areas and will exploit its potential roles in preoperative use and chemoprevention.